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The number of Australians gambling at risky levels is at its highest level in six years, according to the latest national gambling survey from ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ. 19.4 per cent – or almost one in five – Australian adults reported gambling at risky levels in the past year.

Lead author Associate Professor Aino Suomi said that while overall gambling participation has steadily decreased over the past 15 years, the recent increase in people gambling at harmful levels is cause for concern.

In September, leaders of the Pacific region joined together in the Solomon Islands’ capital of Honiara for the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting. For policy watchers and regional insiders, this meeting is very much a spectator sport; set plays, high stakes and no shortage of sideline commentary.

Held under the theme ‘Iumi Tugeda: Act Now for an Integrated Blue Pacific Continent’, this was a milestone event for the government and people of Solomon Islands, hosting the meeting for the first time since 1992.

  

Share your daily commute to help ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃGreen understand how our community navigates between campus and home, including those who have a hybrid or remote working arrangement. The survey takes under five minutes to complete and is open to all ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃstaff and students who work or study in Australia.

Your feedback will be used to help calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with working or studying at ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃand inform our strategies for a greener future. Survey closes on Sunday 19 October. 

I wrote to staff on 25 September about the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) cease work order and provisional improvement notice (PIN), noting that with staff agreement, the Health and Safety Representative (HSR) lifted the cease-work direction on 23 September 2025.

Last Thursday, the HSR advised the PIN has now also been withdrawn.

Read more: COO Update – Commencement of Comcare monitoring and compliance activity in CASS

The ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃInformation Security Office is hosting a month of tips, events, workshops and prizes for all staff and students as part of Cyber Security Awareness Month. This week’s focus is passphrases.

A passphrase uses four or more random words as your password. For example, ‘crystal onion clay pretzel’ or 'red house sky train'. The longer the passphrase, the harder it is for hackers to crack.

Tips for building strong passphrases:

ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃis supporting this Friday 10 October by recognising the importance of taking a holistic approach to wellbeing across campus. The day is an annual observance designed to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilise efforts in support of mental health. This year’s theme is Connect with your community. Connecting with our communities, where we feel safe, seen and heard, helps us feel cared for and supported, which is essential for our mental health.

Check out the for daily wellbeing and connection tips throughout October.

More information on Health and Wellbeing services is available on the University's

Tuesday 21 October, 12–2pm

Experience innovation in action at the College of Systems and Society Showcase at the ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃSport Hall. Explore interactive projects from six schools and connect with staff, students and industry partners.

Saturday 18 October, 10am–4.30pm  

Get ready to design the future at TEDxCanberra 2025, where the theme The People’s Blueprint takes centre stage. In an era where change is inevitable, but direction is uncertain, this event offers a bold new vision.

The brilliant speakers will share powerful ideas that reframe systems, challenge the status quo and propose bold, community-led solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.

Wednesday 22 October, 10–11.30am

Join this practical workshop to broaden your understanding of the ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃRisk Management Policy and Enterprise Risk Management Framework. Through guided exercises, you will learn how to conduct meaningful risk assessments tailored to your function or business area. This is the last session for this year.

Monday 10 November, 9am–5pm

This one-day symposium will see the launch of two new academic papers, from Professor Jenny Hocking AM and Professor Frank Bongiorno AM. It will also include a panel discussion with political and media experts and a discussion on political cartoons.

Sunday 23 November, 9.30am–2pm

Join the ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃstaff community and their families for the annual end of year kids’ party. It’s going to be a fun-filled day with activities, entertainment and a special visit from Santa.

Some treasures at ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃcan be seen with your own eyes. But not this one, not just yet.

Tucked away in the ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃArchives is a secret that won’t be revealed for another two decades – the ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃ75th Anniversary Time Capsule. Sealed in 2022 to mark the University's milestone year, this capsule captures a snapshot of life at ANU.

It holds a mix of 23 physical and digital items. From the everyday and quirky (such as Etta the duck and a baby size ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃt-shirt), the past that made ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃwhat it is (damaged terracotta tile from the roof of University House), to more formal records (first detection of the Gravitational Wave) of the University's achievements and challenges.

The capsule is strictly off-limits until 2046, when ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃcelebrates its centenary. Until then, it sits quietly preserved.

The capsule reminds us of the passage of time, the importance of memory and the excitement of leaving something meaningful for those who come after us.

From Tuesday 4 November, ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃstudents will be able to self-identify their current gender at any given time through ANUHub, without needing to provide supporting documentation.

ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃis improving how we collect data to better reflect our diverse community. This change is a step toward more inclusive data collection.

The updates to gender data collection for ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃstudents webpage provides more information and context and lists support services available.

If you wish to discuss how you can support students through this change, you can reach out to Inclusive and Respectful Communities at respect@anu.edu.au.

The is an important opportunity for undergraduate students to provide feedback on their experiences at ANU. The survey covers key areas such as academic workload and stress, support from staff and peers, sense of belonging and the overall value and engagement of their courses.

Results from the survey will directly inform improvements to student wellbeing services, guide the development and evaluation of initiatives and contribute to national research on student mental health.

Staff are requested to please encourage their undergraduate students to complete the survey and share their experiences. If you'd like additional resources or information, please reach out to student.life@anu.edu.au.

A high performing team starts with how we lead. In Leadership in Practice, you’ll explore how brain science supports more effective execution, goal setting and delegation. You’ll learn:

These are not just ideas; they’re frameworks you’ll practice and apply immediately.

ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃstaff and students have free and unlimited access to the Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) Conference – The Future of Sustainability, running virtually from 5–7 November.

This virtual conference brings together staff, students and sector leaders from across Australasia to share ideas, explore best practice and inspire action.

Don’t miss the chance to be part of the leading sustainability event for the tertiary education sector. You can register for free with your ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃemail address.

For many graduates, entering the workforce is what first comes to mind when considering options after university.  

However, five recent graduates chose to continue their studies in Suzhou, China, spending a year improving their Chinese language skills as China in the World, China Studies Fellows. This was made possible with support from the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.

Halfway into their Fellowship, we asked the first cohort to share their motivation to undertake the year-long endeavour as well as their experiences studying Chinese at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou.

ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃSecurity – (02) 6125 2249 

For life threatening emergencies first call 000 (or 0000 if dialing from an internal phone), then call ºÚÁÏÌìÌÃSecurity.  

Media hotline – (02) 6125 7979 

Contact the media hotline during business hours or email media@anu.edu.au for media queries regarding the University and its operations, or to track down experts that aren’t listed in our .

Help is available if you need it. The University has a range of information and services that can be accessed by Managers and staff.  

Whether it's a work-related issue or a personal one, the University encourages you to seek counselling support through the .

If you need to support a student in distress, please refer to developed by the team.